Improvement in horse hay-forks



` ward any desired length.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

ELI MISHLEB, OF LOCKE, INDIANA.

IMPRovl-:MEN-r 1N HoRsE HAV-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,l95,dnted January 6, 1874; application filed October 20, 1873.

` To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Eu MISHLER, O'f Locke, Elkhart county, Indiana, have made and invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay- Forks, of which the following is a specification':

The invention relates to an improvement in devices for elevating hay bales, and analo- "gous matters; and consists of an elongated U-shaped fork in two parts, one sliding within the other, the lower ends united by a common point.

Att-ached to the middle of the inner bow is l a jointed lever, the power end of which is y curved upward and outward beyond the outer u jections, over which passes a cord that, at tached to the power end of the lever, hangs in proximity to the operator.

The accompanying drawing is afront elevation of a device embodying the elements of the invention.

B is the outer bow, which is formed in the shape of an elongated, U, and extends down- C is the inner bow conformed in shape and size to it snugly within the bow B, its arch being iiattened so as to leave a considerable space between it and the arch of the bow B. D are the points sharpened at their lower extremities, their upper interior parts removed, thus formingtwo shoulders, c and c,` one above the other, and within which are mortised the ends of the bows B and C, respectively, in the upper and lower shoulders a and c. Thus, the bow C being elevated, the pointsD are drawn inward and upward, the rounded shoulders permitting them to turn upon the pivots at a. At the center of the arch of the bow C is attached the lever, which consists of the arms E and E', the latter connected at their contiguous ends by the toggle-joint H, the arms E turning upon the pivot e, the whole lever being so arranged as to be readily e1e vated or depressed. The lower end of the lower arm E turns upon the pivot g, which is secured between the bars I near their middle. The bars being secured to the outer bow B, and permitted to project on one side, are provided near their ends with the roller t'. The togglejoint H is constructed with shoulders, so that it may be thrown out of the perpendicular in one direction only.' At` the extremity of the arm E, which is curved upward and outward from the point of its attachment to the bow C, for the purpose of giving it a sufficient sweep, an eye, h, is provided, in which is fastened one end of the cord K, which, passing over the roller i, hangs downward in proximity to the tender. Aloop, L, constructed to revolvehorizontally, is attached at the middle of the arch of the bow B,- and serves to` attach the hoistin g-rope.

The device being properly secured above the hay, the cord K is drawn, whereby the bow C is forced downward, and the points D thrown into line with the lower parts of the bows B and C. The fork is then forced i'iito the hay,l and the lever E raised, thus turning the points inward and securinglthe load, when it may be raised at pleasure.

It is to be observed that so long as the parts E of the lever preserve a perpendicular position the points D cannot be forced down, so

that any weight that the device will bear may be elevated with safety.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the lever, consisting of the arm E and arms E', provided with the togt gle-joint H, the bars I supporting the lower arm of the toggle-joint, the bows B and C, provided with the pointsD having the shoulders a and c, substantially `as shown and described. u In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in hay-forks, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of September, 1873.

ELI MISHLER.

[L S-i Witnesses:

SAMUEL D. YOUNG,

EMANUEL PIPPENGER. 

